Xinbeitou branch line

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Xinbeitou branch line
A C371 train in the special livery (399) leaving Beitou. This train has been operating the line since 2009.
Overview
LocaleTaipei, Taiwan
Termini
Stations2
Color on mapLight red
Service
TypeRapid transit
Operator(s)Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
Depot(s)Beitou
Rolling stockC371 (3-car)
History
Opened28 March 1997 (1997-03-28)
Technical
Line length1.2 km (0.7 mi)
Number of tracks2
CharacterElevated
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC third rail
Operating speed25 km/h (16 mph)
Route map

Legend
 Xinbeitou
(Left arrow )
Beitou
(Down arrow )
This diagram:
Xinbeitou branch line
Traditional Chinese新北投支線
Simplified Chinese新北投支线

The Taipei Metro Xinbeitou branch line (formerly transliterated as Hsin Peitou branch line until 2003) is an elevated, high-capacity branch line of the Tamsui–Xinyi line. It first opened for service on 28 March 1997. The line is 1.2 km (0.75 mi) long and consists of two stations.

History[edit]

Heavy rail line[edit]

The Xinbeitou branch line traces back to a heavy rail line built by the Japan's rule over Taiwan. A spur from the pre-metro Tamsui line, the line's name was transliterated as the "Shinhokutō Line" in Japanese and "Hsin Peitou Line" in Chinese. Completed on 1 April 1916, the line was built specifically to transport visitors from the city to the newly-developed onsen facilities around Xinbeitou. The line was closed at the end of 1944 during World War II. After a change in power to the Kuomintang, the Xinbeitou branch line was reopened to passengers in 1946.[1][2]

The line was served by single-car DR2100–DR2400 series diesel carriages that made round trips between Beitou and Xinbeitou stations. As Taipei's population grew, the branch transitioned from a touristic line to a commuter line, and was heavily used before its closure in 1988 for the reconstruction of the Beitou line into a rapid transit line (Tamsui–Xinyi line). Before the line's closure, the line was served by twenty-nine round trip services per day; each trip took around 90 seconds and cost NT$8. The daily ridership was around 22,000 passengers.[2][3]

Metro line[edit]

Originally, the Xinbeitou branch line was to close permanently after the Tamsui line was converted into a rapid transit line. Xinbeitou residents successfully petitioned to the government for a branch line, arguing that it was an important transportation link for commuters.[4] The branch line's groundbreaking ceremony was held on 30 December 1988,[5] and on 28 March 1997, the new rapid transit line re-opened for service as part of the Taipei Metro.[citation needed] According to the original design, trains leaving downtown Taipei would terminate at either Xinbeitou or Tamsui station. Before the line's opening, Taipei Metro decided against this plan due to insufficient rolling stock.[6]

Noise complaints[edit]

Since the line's opening, residents along the line have complained about noise from the trains due to the sharp curvature of the tracks and its close distance to apartment buildings on the sides. Rail grinding and the installation of noise barriers did not alleviate the noise by much.[7] Shortly after opening, the train's frequency was reduced, the operating hours were shortened to 7 am and 9 pm, and the number of cars on each train was reduced from six to three.[8]

On 14 September 2007, Taipei Metro extended its operating hours to between 6 am and midnight.[8] It was hoped that if the noise standards were deemed to be at an acceptable level that the current Orange line trains on the Red line could operate on the Xinbeitou Line instead.[9] Trains operate at a maximum headway of one per 7–8 minutes during peak hours.[10]

It has been reported that the line is operating at a loss.[11] A proposal was put forth in 2005 that a low-speed maglev train similar to the Linimo in Japan would solve the problem of noise pollution,[12] but its feasibility on operating costs became a subject of ridicule.

In July 2019, the soundproofing walls on the line were updated as part of newly-introduced through-operations to central Taipei.

Rolling stock[edit]

3-car C301 trains, which operated on the line until 2007.
3-car C371 trains, which have operated on the line since 2007.

A modified C301 (trainset 013/014) originally operated on the line in a 3-car formation, making it unique on the system. From 2007 onwards, the train was replaced by a purpose-built C371 of a similar length.

Stations[edit]

Code Station Name Transfer District
English Chinese
R22A Xinbeitou 新北投 Beitou,

Taipei

R22 Beitou 北投

References[edit]

  1. ^ 李東明 (2000). "新北投 — 台北的溫柔鄉". 永遠北淡線 (in Chinese). Taipei: 玉山社. pp. 142–147. ISBN 9578246323.
  2. ^ a b 陳念慈 (30 December 1986). "臺灣縱貫鐵路 迷你幹線－新北投線" (in Chinese). Central Daily News.
  3. ^ "新北投線最後列車除夕開出 明年元旦起不再奔馳 多位議員禹延期停駛" (in Chinese). Taipei. Central Daily News. 28 December 1987.
  4. ^ "捷運系統新北投支線 居民反對撤銷" (in Chinese). Central Daily News. 14 August 1987.
  5. ^ "捷運新北投線動土 訂民國八十年完工" (in Chinese). Taipei. Central Daily News. 31 December 1988.
  6. ^ 顏瓊真 (24 November 1996). "電聯列車不足 到新北投需換接駁車 捷運淡水線一車到底行不通" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Central Daily News.
  7. ^ 孫惠琪 (19 November 1997). "新北投支線消音 捷局施工改善 解決沿線噪音問題 進行第三階段軌道研磨作業" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei. Central Daily News.
  8. ^ a b "Starting September 14, the Xinbeitou Branch Line Will Resume Normal Operational Mode with 3-Carriage Train". Taipei Metro. 12 September 2007. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  9. ^ 新北投支線 八月增班正常營運 Archived 17 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Liberty Times, 14 July 2007
  10. ^ "Xinbeitou Branch Line". Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  11. ^ 捷运新北投支线　不惜赔钱服务市民, 中广新闻, 13 July 2007
  12. ^ 台北拟引进日本磁浮电车 最快2007年可亮相, China News Service, 21 July 2005
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